The Jerry Garcia Guitars at Auction
Guernsey's -
the auction house known for such high profile events as the Graceland
(Elvis Presley) Auction and the baseball sale that featured Mark McGwire's
$3 million ball, enthusiastically announces an unprecedented auction
focusing on the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia's remarkable guitars. The
auction will be held on May 8, 2002 in New York City following a variety of
preview activities celebrating the life of the beloved musician.
Although the auction will be presenting an array of rare and
desirable Grateful Dead artifacts, the auction is really about Tiger and
Wolf, the fabulous guitars that millions of "Deadheads"
(passionate Grateful Dead followers) came to view as unparalleled icons.
Currently, the guitars are owned by Doug Irwin, the master guitar maker
who's work Jerry Garcia so admired. In his will, Garcia left the guitars
to Mr. Irwin who had devoted many years of his life creating them. Several
surviving members of the Grateful Dead contested the will, but a court
confirmed Mr. Irwin's right of ownership. The guitars are now being sold
to allow Irwin to create a new woodworking shop where he can continue
crafting his extremely fine creations for clients in the future. (Several
years ago, Mr. Irwin was involved in a bad accident leaving him in
critical condition. Recovery expenses exhausted his assets.)
Through the latter years of the twentieth century, Rock &
Roll-era guitars increasingly became the center of attention at pop
cultural auctions. However, it is unlikely that any have had the magnetism
of Tiger and Wolf. Most rock musicians play instruments for limited
periods, continually opting to move on to newer, improved models. Jerry
Garcia was very much the exception, playing only a handful of instruments
throughout his three-decade-long career. So identified were his guitars
that his followers called them by name. (Tiger and Wolf were named for the
exquisite mother-of-pearl and ivory inlaid animal images Doug Irwin
created on the guitar bodies.) It has been said that there are Deadheads
who can discern - simply by ear - which instrument Jerry is using in his
many recordings. Wolf was used throughout the early part of Jerry's
career, while Tiger - which took six years to craft (Jerry had
commissioned Doug to create the very finest instrument he was capable of
making) - was used by Jerry in his very final concerts. In one of several
articles that have appeared about Jerry Garcia and the Doug Irwin guitars
in Guitar Player (there have been numerous articles about this subject in
many other popular magazines as well), it was said about Tiger: "Garcia
produced more notes with the Tiger than any other guitar, using it
exclusively for the next 11 years. 'When I picked up that guitar,' Garcia
said 'I'd never felt anything before - or since - that my hand likes
better.' " Wolf was the first guitar Jerry Garcia commissioned from Doug
Irwin. Once in the musician's hands, Garcia rarely used guitars other than
the creations of Mr. Irwin.
In addition to the guitars, there will
be many rare Grateful Dead items to intrigue the participants of this
auction. A small sampling includes original paintings created by Jerry
Garcia, original handwritten lyrics for the Grateful Dead, the rarest of
Dead posters and (even rarer) proof sheets and the original artwork for
several posters. There will be two wonderful Grateful Dead photographic
collections (both consisting of images never previously published.) The
first is by Roberto Rabanne, a highly regarded professional photographer
whose images of the Dead (and many other rock celebrities) are widely
recognizable, while the second collection is by Robert Cohn, known for his
joyous, candid images of the Dead in concert. The only other rock artist
included in this unique auction is Janis Joplin. With many links to the
Grateful Dead, material from Janis adds an extra element of excitement to
an event that by any account has to be viewed as a somewhat wild affair.
As this is being written, Guernsey's is preparing a comprehensive
catalogue documenting Tiger, Wolf and the other exciting objects in the
auction. The book (which is likely to become a collector's item in its own
right) will include extensive text and numerous exciting photographs which
clearly should have interest for Deadheads and others whose lives were
affected by the unique talent that was Jerry Garcia. To acquire the
catalogue, discuss the possibility of late consignment or arrange to
become a bidder at the auction, please contact Guernsey's: 212-794-2280;
fax 212-744-3638; guernseysny@aol.com.
Jerry's Guitars
Jerry's Art
108 1/2 East 73rd Street New York, NY
10021 Voice: (212) 794-2280 Fax: (212) 744-3638 About
Guernsey's
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2000
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